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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · fine · mate · hide · race · lie · prune · kick

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mate — a partner
  3. race — the arms race
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fine — high quality
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mate — a friend
  13. kick — in football
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fine — all right
  16. cue — a signal
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. race — a contest
  19. mate — to breed
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. race — humankind
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com